The Paw Print
Week of May 27, 2019
Updates from Mrs. Murphy
It is hard to believe that we are entering the last few weeks of school! It is going to be a busy few weeks, so please be sure to read the calendar below. We are thankful for your partnership throughout the year and especially during these busy few weeks. We have reminded students that it is critical that they follow school expectations and the Wildcat Ways until the last day of school to ensure a productive, fun and safe end of the school year. We appreciate you reinforcing these expectations at home with your child.
As you begin to think about the summer, we hope that students find time to read. Ms. Hickman has shared a short Common Sense Media video about three fun ways to prevent the summer slide as well as an additional resource for eBooks below.
Thank You
Thank you to the many parents that volunteered to support Field Day! Mr. Kaufman prepared very exciting activities for our students, and we're so grateful that the weather cooperated, at least for the most part!!
Water Bottle Filling Stations
5th Grade Mermall
On Wednesday, June 12, the 5th graders will have their final Mermall from 9:45-11:15. All Kindergartens, 1st, and 2nd graders have been invited to come shop. For those of you unfamiliar with Mermall (formerly known as Mini Mall), as part of their classroom economy, the 5th graders have created businesses to sell goods, services, and activities. Each shopper will be given $10 Merdollars (5th grade's currency) to spend. K-2 students will have about 20 minutes to shop at Mermall. A few 5th graders will have stores where they will be selling store-bought foods. Of course, all food will be nut-free, and the information about the ingredients will be available. The teachers will be extremely vigilant to ensure no one purchases anything to which they are allergic. Some examples of goods, services, and activities sold at previous Mermalls include popcorn, bowing, Pokemon cards, books, stuffed animals, lemonade, and ice cream sundaes. Students will bring their purchases home on June 12th, where they should remain. Mermall is always an exciting event for the 5th graders and the younger students. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please contact your child's teacher no later than June 11th.
Will Your Child Be Attending Seven Locks In The Fall?
School System Updates
Board of Education Seeks Community Feedback on Policy Addressing Student Well-being and School Safety
The Board of Education is seeking feedback from staff, parents/guardians, and members of the community on a new policy addressing student well-being and school safety. Policy COA, Student Well-being and School Safety, ties together the district’s policy on Wellness: Physical and Nutritional Health, and its work on Be Well 365: The Framework to Support the Physical, Social, and Psychological Well-being of All Students initiative.
The draft policy addresses safety from the perspective of promoting a positive school climate; accountability for all; behavioral threat assessment; facilities, security staff and technology; collaboration with count partners including health and law enforcement agencies; and emergency planning and preparedness. Draft Policy COA also incorporates key requirements set forth in the Maryland Safe to Learn Act of 2018. To learn more about the policy and provide comment, visit mcpsweb.wufoo.com/forms/q353v381lr2l51/. Submit public comments by Wednesday, June 5.
Be Well 365
MCPS has launched a new initiative, Be Well 365, which will address the physical, social, and psychological well-being of our students. Students perform better academically when they are healthy in body, mind, and spirit.
Be Well 365 will work to ensure that students have the necessary skills to become positive members of the school and broader community; manage their emotions; build academic and social resilience; identify and access support for themselves or a friend; peacefully resolve conflict; and make positive decisions.
The district has launched a webpage with more information on each component of this initiative. You can view this webpage at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/bewell365. You’ll be hearing much more about Be Well 365 as we get closer to the start of the 2019–2020 school year.
Donate Professional Clothing to Support MCPS Students
MCPS is hosting a clothing drive with A Wider Circle to provide Summer RISE student participants with professional clothing. Items will be collected on Wednesday, May 29 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. by the flagpole at Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. Summer RISE provides rising MCPS juniors and seniors with a three-week, career-based learning experience, and introduces students to high-demand career options that match their interests.
Professional clothing wish list items include:
· Women’s professional clothing—dresses, blouses, and suits
· Men’s suits and blazers
· Men’s shoes and belts
· Men’s new dress socks
· Men’s belts, tie clips, and cufflinks
· Professional purses and briefcases
· Accessories—scarves and jewelry
If you have any questions about the drive, contact Elaine Chang-Baxter or call the Partnerships Unit 240-740-5599.
MCPS to Host Private Screening of the Film, Circles
MCPS staff, students, and families are invited to a free, private screening of the film, Circles. During the event, guests will have an exclusive chance to hear from the star of the film, Mr. Eric Butler, about his implementation of restorative circles both professionally and personally. Circles focuses on the life of Eric Butler, a Hurricane Katrina survivor and pioneer of the Restorative Justice movement. Shot over two years, the film follows Butler's impassioned efforts to nurture troubled youth and keep them in school, fighting racial discrimination by replacing snap suspensions and expulsions with gritty, intimate, and honest mentoring.
The screening will take place on Tuesday, May 28, at 6:00 p.m. at AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring. Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved online, at docs.google.com/forms/d/1ky1JSd2C_zPSISRbSYP3nSVAU-zl11AfBc9x0P-sCcQ/edit.
Equity Accountability Model Now Available
The MCPS Equity Accountability Data Dashboard provides information on the strategies the district is using to monitor and report student achievement. MCPS created the Equity Accountability Model to provide a way to look at the impact of a school specific to the achievement of all students. You can view the dashboard and learn more at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/evidence-of-learning-framework/equity-accountability-model.aspx.
Changes to the 2018–2019 School Calendar Due to Inclement Weather
Inclement weather forced MCPS to close schools on four days this winter. The 2018–2019 MCPS school calendar includes 182 instruction days, 2 more than the minimum required in the state of Maryland. As a result of these closures, MCPS will need to use two designated make-up days to ensure that it meets the state-required number of school days. The school year will be extended to June 14, 2019, and schools also will be open on June 5, which was a previously scheduled professional day for staff. June 14 will be an early release day for all students.
Important Dates
5/27 - Memorial Day Holiday. No school for students or staff
5/28 - Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation, 1st grade in the morning, 4th grade in the afternoon
5/29 - Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation, 3rd grade in the morning, 2nd grade in the afternoon
5/30 - 1st Grade Field Trip to Montgomery County Recycling Center (Choi), 10:25 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
5/30 - 5th Grade visit to Cabin John Middle School, 9:45-11:50 a.m.
5/30 - Spring Concerts, 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.
5/31 - 1st Grade Field Trip to Montgomery County Recycling Center (Barringer and Flannery), 10:25 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
5/31 - End of Year Picnic (Rain or Shine)
6/3 - Volunteer Breakfast followed by Wildcats Service Awards Assembly
6/4 - Professional Development Day, provided by SLES Educational Foundation, Kindergarten in the morning
6/4 - 3rd Grade End of Year Party in the afternoon
6/7 - 5th Grade Carnival, all day
6/7 - 2nd Grade Field Trip to Brookside Gardens, 9:40 a.m. - 1:40 p.m.
6/10 - Rain Date for 5th Grade Carnival
6/11 - 5th Grade Field Trip to Mt. Vernon, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
6/11 - 1st Grade End of Year Party in the afternoon
6/12 - Mermall
- 9:50-1010 a.m. - 2nd Grade
- 10:15-10:35 a.m. - Kindergarten
- 10:40-11:00 a.m. - 1st Grade
6/12 - Kindergarten End of Year Party in the afternoon
6/12 - 4th Grade End of Year Party in the afternoon
6/13 - 2nd Grade End of Year Party in the afternoon
6/13 - 5th Grade Promotion
6/14 - Last day of school
- Awards Assembly followed by 5th Grade Clap Out
- Early Release -- students will be dismissed at 1:20 p.m.
Seven Locks Elementary School
Email: Megan_H_Murphy@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/sevenlockses/
Location: 9500 Seven Locks Road, Bethesda, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-0940
Twitter: @SLESPrincipal